Presently, there is an increased demand for corn cobs as a feedstock for cellulosic ethanol, as well as other uses. As a result, there is heightened interest in collecting corn cobs during corn harvest. To this end, agricultural harvesters are now harvesting and collecting shelled corn as well as pieces of cob and discharging the remaining crop residue or stover, e.g., corn stalks, leaves, and husks, onto the field. In many cases, the grain bin of the harvester will contain a mixture including a significant amount of cob pieces collected with the grain.
Storing a mixture of grain and cob pieces is disadvantageous because the cob pieces are generally larger and lighter than the grain. Harvester grain bins fill more inefficiently and require more frequent unloading, and transferring the mixture of grain and cob pieces between containers creates a risk of damage to both elements. As the mixture is discharged to the receiving container, gravitational forces will likely cause the denser grain elements to fall at a greater velocity, relative to the larger, lighter cob pieces. This may result in breakage of the cob pieces, resulting in a loss of moisture, or may otherwise damage the grain. Therefore it would be advantageous to separate the mixture into a grain receiving container and a cob receiving container as soon as possible, preferably as the mixture is unloaded from the harvester.
Thus, what is sought is a grain conveying apparatus and system including separation capabilities which provides one or more of the capabilities, and overcomes one or more of the shortcomings and limitations, set forth above.